


Underchorus

by Sephypsycologist



Series: Original AUs [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 21:50:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17088377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sephypsycologist/pseuds/Sephypsycologist
Summary: Falling into a world of songs, can Frisk navigate the notes well enough to escape?





	Underchorus

Once, long ago, two races ruled the earth….but everyone knows that. That is where we learned music, from the constant singing of the monsters, and also how we came to know envy, since they could sing their souls so easily whilst we could not. This envy drove humanity to commit a grave sin, and drive their fellow creatures beneath the earth, locked away forever.

Frisk had wandered a long way since escaping the foster home. Up the mountain, even, just to spite the cruel couple who had been profiting from taking the orphan in. Huffing, Frisk kept walking. They didn’t need their foster family, and as soon as they were somewhere safe, they’d figure out how to save their foster siblings, too. They were DETERMINED to make sure everyone was safe.

A sound broke into the child’s thoughts.

A voice, much like their own, singing sweetly and sadly.

Singing a song they knew….their mother’s song.

Frisk had always been very lucky, and before her death, their mother had always sung one song at night as Frisk was falling asleep. She’d called it her soul song. Frisk had no idea what that meant, but it felt like their mother was singing her love for Frisk out for everyone to hear. She’d even told Frisk that she’d teach them how to find their own soul song one day….but that was not to be.

Following that bitter sweet music, Frisk found a cavern. The voice was inside. It was a young voice, a child like them. Frisk stayed quiet as they entered the cave, trying to follow the echoes back to the voice.

They were so close to it, and as they looked up at a hole in the cave roof…..

They didn’t see the hole until they fell in.

FALLING DOWN

Frisk woke up in that same pool of sunlight.

The white flowers beneath them smelled sweet, and that voice kept singing.

Since they were sore from their fall, Frisk stayed still for a while, listening.

Now that they were closer, could listen better, Frisk realized it wasn’t quite their mother’s song. It was very similar, but there were differences. This song didn’t feel as peaceful and full of love, the key was slightly different, and the rhythm more syncopated. This voice sounded hurt and angry, too….but it was calling out for help that way.

Frisk wanted to help this voice. And ask them if they knew their mother.

Getting up, Frisk dusted themselves off and started walking. There was a path ahead, and a door. There was no way they’d try climbing up from their fall, so forward was the only option. They could also hear the voice floating through the doorway.

As soon as Frisk went through the doorway, the voice went silent. Ahead, in another window of sunshine, was a white flower, much like the ones they’d just left behind.

But this one had a face.

And it spoke to them.

“Well golly! A new playmate!” The flower bobbed up and down giggling. “Hiya! I’m Flowey! Gee, you’ve gotta be confused after coming down here.”

Confused was an understatement, but Frisk just shrugged. No sense talking to this weird flower if they didn’t have to. They’d learned silence was golden in the foster house.

“Don’t worry, new friend! I’m gonna teach you everything.” The flower’s expression turned slightly deranged as Frisk felt something zip out of their chest.

The world went dark, nothing but black and white….and a red heart shape in front of them, pulsing with a strange music.

“This is your SOUL!” Flowey’s look was almost rabid at this point, “It’s the culmination of your being, and the source of your Soul Song. Don’t worry about that for now, though!” He giggled again, more unhinged by the second.

Frisk tried to back away, but instead of their body moving, the heart shifted backward.

“The way your little bitty SOUL can get stronger, and it needs to, is to gain LOVE. You want LOVE, riiiiiight?” Flowey’s wild eyes fixed on theirs, and Frisk shivered.

“Sure! And LOVE is shared through….song.” It felt like that last word was a knife to Flowey, the way he spit it out. “here, have a listen to MINE.”

Frisk screamed at the ear-piercing din that emerged from the flower’s mouth. That was not a song. That wasn’t even music. It was some kind of wrongness that was expressed through sound and it sent white bullets flying at Frisk’s SOUL. They barely could dodge the pellets with how hard they were pressing their hands to their ears.

Flowey’s face became nightmarishly warped, a thick tongue hanging out and bright, wide eyes, “oh? Did you not like my song? Heeheehee, well too bad.” Then his voice began to match his face, distorting hideously and deepening, “BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SING WITH NO SOUL.”

Before he got the chance to screech again, a quick melody shot out of the darkness, bringing with it a fireball that knocked the flower clear of the ground and into the deep shadows beyond the pool of light.

“Oh what a hideous sound. Nothing good can come of that,” came the soft, melodic voice from the darkness. Frisk didn’t even think, running to grab onto their savior’s clothes. Their ears hurt and Flowey had frightened them deeply.

“Poor child….it’s alright,” assured the female voice, and a large, warm hand stroked their head gently. “That weed won’t hurt you again, my child. I promise you that.”

The woman knelt to be level with Frisk, and they gasped. She was a goat creature, with soft white fur and floppy ears, two small horns on her head and kindness in her red eyes, “My name is Toriel, and I care for these ruins. I am sorry I did not come sooner. You are the first human to fall down here in a long time, though.”

Her hand, also covered in thick white fur, gently wiped the small tears that had leaked from their eyes. “It’s alright, my child. I will lead you through these catacombs. No need to fret any longer.”

Frisk was so happy to find someone nice. They took Toriel’s hand and nuzzled it, a few more tears falling from how joyful her kindness had made them. There was hope here. If people like Toriel lived down here, Frisk knew things would get better.

The goat woman gave a soft laugh and gently pulled her hand away, “You are very affectionate, my child. Come, let us proceed.” She gently took one of Frisk’s hands and led them forward, into the darkness of this new world.

It was Toriel who taught Frisk to use their Soul Song. “If you want others to understand your intentions, my child, you must sing to them. Sing them your song, and they will harmonize theirs until both of you come to an understanding.”

Frisk had to practice several times, their voice weak from disuse, but the training dummy Toriel directed them toward seemed oddly encouraging. Knowing that their voice had power, and a good power, filled Frisk with DETERMINATION.

Toriel applauded before taking Frisk’s hand again, “Oh very good, my child! You’ve a lovely voice. I’m sure that once you sing, others will hear you quite quickly.”

Frisk beamed at her, and squeezed her paw happily. Toriel was so nice. Frisk wanted her to know.

“m-miss…Toriel?”

“Oh?” The goat woman looked down at Frisk as they walked through more rooms of purple stone bricks, “Yes, dear?”

“I…really….really like you,” Frisk was proud that they’d had the DETERMINATION to say that out loud.

“Oh, well thank you!” Toriel gave a warm smile and sighed happily, “It’s been a long time since someone said something so nice to me.”

Encouraged by Toriel’s reaction to them talking, Frisk hummed happily. They weren’t sure where the song came from, but it seemed to fit these…what had Toriel called them?

“U-um….what is…this place called? Not….not the Underground but HERE?” Frisk gestured around with their free hand.

“Oh. These are the Ruins, dear.” Toriel explained. “This is where all monsters used to live when we first came down here. Most have moved on to New Home at the other end of the caverns but…” She bit her lip softly and looked reluctant.

At a tilt of Frisk’s head, Toriel shook hers and smiled again, “Most of those here are small and gentle, too delicate for the harsh environments outside. If you listen, you can hear them singing already! Singing is a wonderful way to spend the time.”

The child nodded, listening very carefully. There were a few murmurs of deep, croaking voices, and soft whispering ones, tinny whining voices and an odd burbling. It all made a song together, and it filled Frisk’s soul with a safe feeling, and an exciting one! These Ruins were alive with hope and happiness!

There were puzzles in a few of the rooms Toriel led them through, but Frisk was more interested in the music than the annoyance of Toriel solving things for them.

All around are echoes of the many voices, and Frisk enjoys the way they blend and weave in and out of each other. These monsters have been singing in harmony for a long time, and it makes Frisk want to be a part of that joy of community.

Stopping at the end of a long hall, Toriel sighs, “I am afraid I will have to leave you, my child. But do not worry!” She kneels again and holds out an old brick of a cell phone. “Here is a cellular phone. It already has my number in it! Simply press three for a long while to call me.”

She stands and Frisk nods, happy to be trusted with any sort of phone. That was a big no no in the foster home.

“Be good, my child. I will return soon.” Toriel hesitates for a moment, then hurries off further into the ruins.


End file.
